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Tue, 31 Mar 2015 22:01:02 +0000Joomla! 1.5 - Open Source Content Managementen-gbDevelopment Bank Challengers Exodus Basketball League enters crucial stagehttp://miyvue.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=21646:development-bank-challengers-exodus-basketball-league-enters-crucial-stage&catid=38:sports&Itemid=53
http://miyvue.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=21646:development-bank-challengers-exodus-basketball-league-enters-crucial-stage&catid=38:sports&Itemid=53Basseterre, St. Kitts (March 31st, 2015) - The four teams going into the knockout stage of the exciting Development Bank Challengers Basketball League will be determined in the evening of Wednesday April 1, when the last two games of the league season will be played at the Challengers basketball hard courts.

The first of the two games will see Bad Boyz take on Hurricanes, while the second one will see Runners try their luck against the unbeaten Flawless Construction Lions.

There are three confirmed entrants to the last four, the first one being the unbeaten Flawless Construction Lions who have played six games, and will on Wednesday meet Runners. They will also pick up three points without stepping on the courts for their eighth game because one of the teams, Exodus Juniors, has thrown in the towel as it is occupied in the National SKABA Junior League.

The second confirmed entrant into the knockout stage are the Bad Boyz who have so far played seven games losing one, and will on Wednesday meet Hurricanes in a game they are expected to win given their record in the league where they have only lost to Flawless Construction Lions.

Heights, who have the services of a former national player and also former parliamentary representative for the area and government minister Glenn Phillip for them, are the third confirmed semi-finalists. They have played seven games winning four and losing three, and will pick up a win in what would have been their eighth game against Exodus Juniors.

In the league points standing after games played on Sunday March 29, Bad Boyz were ahead with 19 points from seven games. However, second placed Flawless Construction Lions with 18 points from 6 games will leap to the top as they will be awarded a win against Exodus Juniors who have opted out.

Others are Heights with 14 points from seven games; Wolf Pack and Exodus Alliance each with 14 points from eight games; Hurricanes with 13 points from seven games; Runners with 13 points from seven games; Quakers with 11 points from seven games; and Exodus Juniors with seven points from five games.

In games played on Sunday evening, March 29, Wolf Pack played their last game against Runners, whom their beat 51-43.

For Wolf Pack, Stanley Willet scored a total of 12 points, made seven rebounds, and two steals, while his team mates Ahamalie Dyer also scored 12 points and made two assists, and Esmond Andrews scored eight points and had two assists.

Runners saw their Maxwell Bass scoring 16 points and making six assists, Joshua Morton scoring 13 points and making 10 rebounds and three blocks, and Rass Emanuel scoring six points and making three rebounds.

In the second game, Exodus Juniors played their last game in the league, the fifth, as they threw in the towel to concentrate on the National SKABA Junior League, giving away points to their opponents for the remaining three games. They were beaten by Bad Boyz 71-87.

]]>vhenry@miyvue.com (Peter Ngunjiri)SportsTue, 31 Mar 2015 17:59:28 +0000Mo Farah to run at Diamond League opener in Dohahttp://miyvue.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=21638:mo-farah-to-run-at-diamond-league-opener-in-doha&catid=38:sports&Itemid=53
http://miyvue.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=21638:mo-farah-to-run-at-diamond-league-opener-in-doha&catid=38:sports&Itemid=53Britain's reigning double Olympic and world champion Mo Farah will open his Diamond League season in Qatar.

The 32-year-old will compete in the 3,000m in the capital Doha on 15 May - the first leg of the 14-series event.

Farah, who has never raced in Doha, said: "I've heard so many great things about the track, the crowd and the competition in Doha.

"There are always very strong fields in the distances so this will be a great early season test on the track for me."

He will defend his current world titles in both events in August in China.

]]>vhenry@miyvue.com (BBC News)SportsTue, 31 Mar 2015 15:52:38 +0000Australia overwhelmed New Zealand to win the World Cup for a fifth time at an ecstatic Melbourne Cricket Ground.http://miyvue.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=21628:australia-overwhelmed-new-zealand-to-win-the-world-cup-for-a-fifth-time-at-an-ecstatic-melbourne-cricket-ground&catid=38:sports&Itemid=53
http://miyvue.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=21628:australia-overwhelmed-new-zealand-to-win-the-world-cup-for-a-fifth-time-at-an-ecstatic-melbourne-cricket-ground&catid=38:sports&Itemid=53New Zealand lost influential captain Brendon McCullum to the fifth ball of the match and were bowled out for 183.

In their first final, after six previous semi-final defeats, New Zealand were blown away.

Their path to Melbourne came with eight successive wins, all on home soil, and most of the pre-match speculation was of how McCullum's men would deal with the change in conditions.

They won what was thought to be a crucial toss, but the life was sucked from their innings almost as soon as it began.

The talismanic McCullum, so often a slayer of new-ball attacks throughout the tournament, aimed two wild swings at Starc, missed with both, then was bowled by a brilliant yorker.

Far from the batting paradise predicted, the pitch was slightly two-paced and offered both turn and some uneven bounce.

But that is to take nothing away from the Australia pace attack, Starc in particular, who bowled with hostility and found movement both in the air and off the seam.

New Zealand clung on without progressing, but when Glenn Maxwell's off-spin got through a lazy Martin Guptill stroke and Kane Williamson patted back to Johnson, they seemed in disarray.

However, from 39-3, they painstakingly rebuilt through semi-final hero Elliott and Ross Taylor.

Elliott, who successfully overturned a Maxwell lbw decision on 15, scored almost exclusively through the off-side to become only the fifth man to register a half-century in the semi-final and final of the same World Cup.

Taylor made 40 in a stand of 111 provided a platform for the batting powerplay.

Yet it was the powerplay that began New Zealand's slide, as Faulkner returned to have Taylor athletically caught behind by Brad Haddin and bowl Corey Anderson two balls later.

When Luke Ronchi played an awful waft to be caught at slip off Starc, three wickets had been lost for one run in eight balls.

There was no support for Elliott, who was caught behind attempting to heave Faulkner and, when Maxwell superbly ran out non-striker Tim Southee with a direct hit for the final wicket, it was the perfect demonstration of Australia's dominance. In all, New Zealand lost seven wickets for 33 runs.

Though Aaron Finch inside-edged on to his pad to be caught and bowled by Trent Boult, David Warner's brisk 45 gave Australia's chase early momentum.

After he was caught hooking Henry, there began a period of pressure that Clarke and Smith battled to absorb, the latter needing the fortune of seeing the bails stay unmoved as a Henry delivery trickled on to the base of the stumps.

It would be New Zealand's last chance, as Clarke's cuts and drives down the ground accelerated Australia towards victory.

He could not see the job through, but Smith became the first man to score five successive World Cup half-centuries then pulled Henry for the winning runs.

]]>vhenry@miyvue.com (BBC Sports)SportsMon, 30 Mar 2015 20:56:00 +0000America's Cup Oracle team to move to Bermuda next monthhttp://miyvue.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=21627:americas-cup-oracle-team-to-move-to-bermuda-next-month&catid=38:sports&Itemid=53
http://miyvue.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=21627:americas-cup-oracle-team-to-move-to-bermuda-next-month&catid=38:sports&Itemid=53HAMILTON, Bermuda - The Bermuda Housing Corporation (BHC), in conjunction with the Bermudiana Beach development team have collectively agreed to assist Team Oracle as they transition to Bermuda for the impending America’s Cup sailing event.

“Team Oracle is due to be housed in the Dockyard area which is presently under construction and not move in ready. As a short term measure, the BHC and the Bermudiana Beach resort will reserve a single block of units for the temporary assistance of the advance team for the Oracle Group,” stated Major Barrett Dill of the BHC.

Team Oracle is expected to reside at Grand Atlantic starting in April for approximately three months and then transfer to their Dockyard location once their units are completed.

While this may slow the anticipated building process at the South Shore site, the BHC and the Bermudiana Beach resort feel the America’s Cup is very important to the future economic prosperity of Bermuda and wish to play their part in the success of the venture.

The sectioned off area will be at the Eastern end of the property while construction work will begin from the western side of the site once final negotiations have concluded.

More than 200 swimmers will swim 2.5 miles, which starts at Oualie Beach, Nevis, and ends at Cockleshell Bay in St. Kitts.

Minister of Tourism Lindsay Grant said he is pleased that the Federation hosting the Cross Channel Swim and looks forward to this annual event attracting more visitors to the twin island destination.

“We hope this event will continue to grow year after year and attract more visitors from our three major source markets, the United States, United Kingdom and Canada," Grant said, adding, "We welcome all swimmers, elite, young and experienced to challenge themselves and participate."

In a brief handing over ceremony, Minister Grant presented Winston Crooke, the president of St. Kitts and Nevis Swimming Federation, with a cheque for EC$13,500 as a donation to the event. Mr. Crooke was extremely grateful for the support.

"Having Minister Grant and the St. Kitts Tourism Authority on board is a fantastic endorsement of the event,” Crooke said.

The Nevis to St. Kitts Cross Channel Swim is now in its 13th year of operation, and it is fast becoming one of the "must-do" events in the Caribbean’s “Open Water” swim calendar.

The 22-year-old Morgan State University track star took first place in the 100-meter sprint in a time of 11.80 sec., and also came in second in the 200-meter race in a time of 24.44, at the Wake Forest Open on the campus of Wake Forest University.

The Morgan State freshman represented St. Kitts at the CAC Junior Games as part of the 4x100m team.

Crooke and her Morgan State Team return to action this weekend when they take part in the Texas Relays (March 26-28) in Austin, Texas.

]]>vhenry@miyvue.com (Times Caribbean Online )SportsFri, 27 Mar 2015 17:15:00 +0000Cricket World Cup 2015: Jonathan Agnew on NZ-Australia finalhttp://miyvue.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=21607:cricket-world-cup-2015-jonathan-agnew-on-nz-australia-final&catid=38:sports&Itemid=53
http://miyvue.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=21607:cricket-world-cup-2015-jonathan-agnew-on-nz-australia-final&catid=38:sports&Itemid=53Australia welcoming New Zealand to Melbourne on Sunday is the best final the World Cup could have hoped for, because they have been the two best teams in the tournament.

We always suspected that Australia would make it this far, but they have had to deal with a few issues along the way.

Firstly, there was the long-standinginjury problems of captain Michael Clarkeand the speculation surrounding his future as leader. Perhaps more importantly to the team was the side strain that ruled James Faulkner out of the start of the competition.

How will New Zealand cope with being parachuted into the MCG with no real preparation or warm-up? It might be that they have no time to think about it and will continue to play well.

There are two big differences to the MCG from the grounds in New Zealand. One is the size, with the MCG being much bigger than the grounds the Black Caps have played on thus far.

Second, and more importantly, is that we would not expect the ball to swing as much in Melbourne as it has across the Tasman.

Much of New Zealand's success has been built on the swing of new-ball pair Trent Boult and Tim Southee, taking wickets and putting the opposition batsmen on the back foot.

If it does not swing, how will they cope?

You would not want the toss to be such a big influence on a game of this magnitude, but it will play a huge role.

Whoever wins the toss will bat first, partly because of a statistic that we keep harking back to; no team has scored 300 or more to win a one-day international batting second at the MCG.

When you consider all the ODIs that have been played in Melbourne, that is a remarkable fact, yet it is true.

The team that bats first will be looking to rack up a big score in the knowledge that anything in excess of 300 will make them big favourites.

It is not as simple as "the team that wins the toss wins the game", because the quality of the respective bowling attacks means that compiling a big total in the first innings will be far from straightforward.

But if the side chasing emerges after the interval with a target in excess of 300 on the scoreboard, they will know they are battling against history in their attempt to lift the World Cup.

Clarke and his opposite number Brendon McCullum are widely accepted as two of the best captains in the game, both having adapted to the modern way that one-day cricket is played.

These men know that, in the field, you have to take wickets because the days of trying to sneak a few quiet overs here and there are gone.

It that sense, watching the two leaders try to outsmart each other should make for a classic encounter.

Clarke has dealt with the talk around his future and role in the team in a very impressive manner. When a captain is perceived to be under pressure, he can become selfish and cling to his position with a vice-like grip.

Yet Clarke is unselfishly flexible, happy to drop himself down the order when the situation demands, just as he did against India. That is extremely admirable.

McCullum, as well as being an instinctively aggressive and tactically astute captain, is a man who leads from the front.

He buzzes around in the field, diving on everything. However, it is his batting that has illuminated the tournament.

McCullum's strike rate is the highest of any batsman to have faced more than 250 balls in all World Cup cricket.

Yes, he fell to an ugly swipe, but he had already broken South Africa and got the required rate down to something manageable. Without him, New Zealand would not be in the final.

Some get hung up on the nature of a McCullum innings. "He's done the hard work, so why did he get out that way?" That is not the way to look at it, because McCullum is at his best when he is on the charge and he also knows that is the best way to lead his side to victory.

Now, he comes up against the best attack he will have faced in the tournament and there is every chance that he will attempt a dance at Mitchell Starc and see his stumps rearranged.

But if he gets a start, Australia will have to remain as calm as possible and stick to their plan. They will have to get the ball as full as possible and hope McCullum either misses one or finds the hands of a fielder.

Of the two pace attacks, Australia will have the edge because of the reasons I have already touched on.

The likes of Starc, Mitchell Johnson and Josh Hazlewood would like the ball to swing, but if it does not, they will be less concerned.

They are typical Australian quick bowlers, who bend their backs and whack the ball into the pitch. They look for other ways to take wickets if the ball fails to move in the air.

Boult and Southee will want that swing and we will all be watching for it in the early overs. If the ball shows no shape, New Zealand will need a plan B.

However, where the Black Caps do have an edge is in their back-up bowling.

Australia need to get 20 overs from a combination of Faulkner, who looks short of match practice, Shane Watson, and Glenn Maxwell, who can be targeted.

New Zealand, on the other hand, are settled with their back-up options, not least the magic ofDaniel Vettori,whose left-arm spin has been magnificent throughout.

Huge games like this are often won by who best deals with the pressure. Will nerves get the better of one team on the day? Who can best stick to what has served them well to get this far?

In a tournament dominated by the batsmen, Australia have greater depth - Brad Haddin is all the way down at number eight. They will also have home advantage.

New Zealand are fuelled by some brilliant performances and the excitement of their entire country. They may not have Australia's resources, but they have some big players.

Australia start as the favourites, but that is no bad position for New Zealand, either.

Steve Smith struck a fluent 105 from 93 balls and Aaron Finch 81 as Australia posted 328-7, the highest score in a World Cup semi-final.

India made a solid start to their reply but lost four wickets for 32 runs and fell well short on 233 despite captain MS Dhoni making 65.

Australia will meet fellow co-hosts New Zealand in Sunday's final in Melbourne.

They will do so looking for their fifth World Cup crown - no other team has more than two - and on the back of a seventh semi-final win in as many attempts.

"Australia might have thought they were 20 or 30 short, but 328 has proven to be a very good score. The bowling and fielding for Australia was very good. It's a comprehensive win, a very professional performance."

For India, the defence of the trophy they won on home soil four years ago and a run of 16 consecutive wins in major one-day tournaments - the World Cup and Champions Trophy - is over.

They can reflect on how their top order fell apart after openers Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma put on 76 inside 13 overs, but perhaps Dhoni's biggest mistake was calling incorrectly at the toss.

As a result, India, who failed to win any of the 10 matches on their tour of Australia that preceded the World Cup, were made to bowl first on a Sydney pitch that was full of runs.

Even then, Australia failed to fully capitalise on the second-wicket stand of 182 between Smith and Finch, as Michael Clarke's men were stunted by the off-breaks of Ravichandran Ashwin and a curious collective failure against back-of-a-length bowling.

The dismissal of Glenn Maxwell was the 500th catch in this World Cup. It is the first time there have been 500 catches in a World Cup. The previous most was 449 in 2003

Steve Smith is the first Australian to score a 100 in a World Cup semi-final. He is the fifth man overall, after Graham Gooch, Saeed Anwar, Sourav Ganguly and Mahela Jayawardene

Smith is the second Australian to reach at least 50 in four consecutive World Cup innings after David Boon (1987-1992)

In all, four Australia batsmen were undone by the short ball, the first being David Warner, offering a leading edge to Umesh Yadav.

That brought Smith to join Finch, who began with uncertainty and rarely looked at his best, but showed tenacity to support his free-scoring partner.

With his familiar shuffle across the stumps, Smith whipped, clipped and pulled three-quarters of his runs through the leg side to become only the fifth man, and first Australian, to score a hundred in a World Cup semi.

As Smith and Finch traded sixes, Australia looked set to move out of sight, but Smith's hook to deep square leg off Yadav signalled a slowing of the pace.

Four wickets for 51 runs left Shane Watson and James Faulkner to rebuild momentum, with Mitchell Johnson's nine-ball 27 carrying Australia to a score they would have earlier seen to be the bare minimum.

And Clarke's men were made to look vulnerable by Rohit and Dhawan, the former going after the short ball, the latter targeting Faulkner with drive after drive.

Only one team has chased 300+ successfully in any ODI at the SCG: Australia made 334-8 v England in 2011. No team has chased 300 in a World Cup knockout game

Australia have taken the most wickets between overs 11 and 20 in the tournament: 13 at 25.63. New Zealand are second with 12 at 31.41

Rahane's wicket was the first India have lost in the batting powerplay in the tournament. They had scored 235 runs off 32 overs in the batting powerplay before that wicket

Fortune also seemed to be going India's way in what became an increasingly bad-tempered contest. Rohit was reprieved in the first over when an edge off Mitchell Starc was adjudged not to have carried to Watson at first slip, while Dhawan was dropped by a flying Brad Haddin off Josh Hazlewood.

Hazlewood, though, returned to have Dhawan sky a catch to cover and, after Johnson's extra pace caused Virat Kohli to top-edge and removed Rohit's leg bail, Australia were rampant.

When Suresh Raina edged Faulkner, all seemed to rest on Dhoni, but his acceleration did not come until the 43rd over, with 121 required and only four wickets in hand.

Glenn Maxwell's direct hit ensured the assault was not sustained and any slim hopes India maintained departed with their captain.

]]>vhenry@miyvue.com (Stephan Shemilt BBC Sport in Sydney)SportsThu, 26 Mar 2015 17:10:00 +0000Daniels striker Ryan Robbins makes international debut for St Kitts and Nevishttp://miyvue.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=21588:daniels-striker-ryan-robbins-makes-international-debut-for-st-kitts-and-nevis&catid=38:sports&Itemid=53
http://miyvue.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=21588:daniels-striker-ryan-robbins-makes-international-debut-for-st-kitts-and-nevis&catid=38:sports&Itemid=53Stamford AFC striker Ryan Robbins made his international debut in the early hours of this morning (Tuesday) as he started for St Kitts and Nevis in their first World Cup 2018 qualifier.

St Kitts and Nevis were expected to win the first of their double header as they are currently ranked 121st in the world by FIFA and their opponents in the opening round of qualifying are just 176th in the world.

Robbins was replaced after 50 minutes but not before he had made his mark.

At about the half hour mark Robbins broke down the left flank on one of his trademark powerful surges and picked out Gerard Williams in the middle who finished well but the goal was ruled offside.

In an action packed opening to the game St Kitts won a penalty but then crashed the effort off the bar to give the visitors a momentary reprieve. But it did not last for long, St Kitts captain Atiba Harris opened the scoring in the 17th minute before San Antonio Scorpions player and national captain Billy Forbes levelled for the Turks and Caicos Islands five minutes later.

Things got worse for St Kitts who then lost Mudassa Howe to a red card after just 27 minutes. However they scored two late goals in the first half to wrestle back control by half time.

First Thrizen Leader gave his side the lead when he reacted first to a scramble in the box and then Orlando Mitchum extended the lead on the stroke of half time with a volley from 25 yards which squirmed under the Turks and Caicos keeper Jones.

Tishan Hanley opened the scoring for St Kitts after the break, again from long distance, but with a one man advantage the visitors were dangerous and pulled a goal back, this time an own goal for Gerard Williams after Forbes had fired the ball back across the box.

Marc Fenelus was close to adding a third for Turks and Caicos after a surging run but his shot went just over the crossbar.

Forbes was proving a real handful and in some end to end action he went close again.

But in the closing stages St Kitts put the game beyond reach, first Errol O’Loughlin curled the ball in from the edge of the box and then Mitchum made it six in the 90th minute with a tap in.

The two teams meet again on Thursday at the TCIFA National Academy in Providenciales. Kick off is 7pm local time, 11pm UK time.

The winners of the tie will go through to play El Salvador in the next phase of qualifying.

Opener Chris Gayle will miss the series because of the persistent back problem which hampered him in the World Cup.

Pace duo Carlos Brathwaite and Miguel Cummins are among four Barbados players who are uncapped at Test level.

Brathwaite and Cummins have both appeared in one-day internationals, while the other two rookies in the squad - wicketkeeper-batsmen Shane Dowrich, 23, and Shai Hope, 21 - have not played any international cricket.

Leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo, who played the last of his 11 Tests in April 2012, and slow left-armer Veerasammy Permaul, who last appeared in 2013, are back in contention after impressing for Guyana.

It will be the first series in charge fornew coach Phil Simmons,who is leaving Ireland after eight years in charge to take over the Caribbean side.